I strap Gabriel in his little car seat that's always in my car for times when I take him anywhere, making sure it's fixed securely in the back seat, climb into the driver seat, grab my phone and call my husband. I'm shaking like a leaf, so badly I'm scared I might throw up. I can't even hold my phone correctly, and the pain in my back is becoming excruciating. I have to push past it, though, Brooke is counting on me.
“Hey, baby,”
“Jack,” Oh fuck, I don't want to cry right now! “He took her.”
“Who took who, Taylor? What's wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Hank Webster. He followed us, and he forced Brooke to go with him. I tried to make her stay with me, but he threatened to kill me, so she left with him.” Now I am crying. I can't stop myself.
“What? Jesus Christ. Where's Gabe?”
“I have him. Hank said such horrible things about him, Jack. God, I'm so scared! I can't even drive my car; I'm shaking so much.”
“Where are you?” I tell Jack where I am, and he tells me to sit tight, he's coming for me.
Before I know it, he's here, and he brought back up, including Hawk, who checks on Gabriel before coming over to me.
Jack pulled me out of the car and into his arms, where I cry like a fool. I just let him take her, what kind of person am I all of a sudden?
“Mom, what happened?”
“He threatened us,” I tell my son. “He had a gun. He said he'd kill me if Brooke didn't go with him. I tried to make her take Gabe and run, but she wouldn't. She told me that she loves me, and made me promise to take care of you and Gabriel. I'm so sorry, Dante, I'm so sorry!”
My beautiful boy wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. “This isn't your fault, Mom. I don't blame you, and nor will Brooke. Don't beat yourself up. You protected Gabe. You kept him safe.”
I lift away from him slightly and clutch at his shirt. “You have to save Brooke, Hawk. She's so special to me, to you, to your dad. I love her so much. I love her like a daughter. I can't bear the thought of anything bad happening to her. She doesn't deserve to be hurt. I don't care what you have to do to that man to save her, whatever it is, you do it. Kill him, Hawk!”
I have never told my son to kill anyone. Killing is wrong; I know that, but I know he does it. They all do it, including my husband and son. I hate it; I never want to know about it. However, that racist piece of shit will just keep hurting my family if something isn't done about him, and now.
“Taylor!” Jack yells while pulling me away from Hawk. I'm angry, what the hell does he expect me to say? “Don't say shit like that to our son!”
He grabs my face in his hands. “I don't want to tell him such things, Jack.” I really don't. However, that pig can't get away with what he's done. I lean into my husband and whisper in his ear. “He has to pay. He has to be put down before he does some real damage, or before Gabe loses his mother. Put him down, Jack.”
My husband pulls me closer, holding me tighter. “Shh. Everything will all right, baby. I promise.” I nod against him. If Jack says everything with okay, then I know it will be.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Brooke
Another slap to the face knocks me to the ground. I'm going to end up with a severely swollen face at this rate. My lip is bleeding; the metallic taste of it is on my tongue.
After Hank forced me to leave with him, he brought me back to the farm, the one place I never wanted to see again. I was surprised that nobody was here when we arrived, and I haven't asked where everyone is because I just don't care. If I never see my big brothers again, it will be too soon, but I would have liked to have seen my mother, even for a moment.
I know she's never been much of one, she's as racist as my father, but she gave birth to me. I like to think she cares about me a tiny bit, even if I am stupid to believe that.
I have faith that Taylor kept Gabe safe and managed to call Hawk, so I know it won't be long before he finds me. I just hope I'm still alive when he does. I know I have to do whatever it takes to keep myself alive, for the baby inside of me, for Gabe, and Hawk. I have no intention of dying here today, but I know Hank has other ideas. If I don't do what he wants, tell him what he wants to hear, he'll think nothing of dumping my body somewhere for the pigs to feast upon.
I'm scared for my unborn son. I don't think he's going to survive what happens to me today. I'm trying so hard to be strong, but my heart is breaking for him. He was my second chance to find out what pregnancy was all about. Hawk and I planned to enjoy every aspect of it, he would have been by my side through it all, and he would have held my hand through the birth. He would have encouraged me as I pushed our son into the world.
However, as Hank punches me yet again, I know there isn't much hope any of those plans will come true.
I'm so sorry, baby Dante. I loved you so much, and Daddy loved you, too. I wish I could have been stronger and protected you in there. Please forgive me, my sweet angel.
Hank drags me to my feet and slams me down into a chair. An old wooden chair he keeps here in his hay barn for, I don't know what. He circles me like a lion circling his prey. “This is all your own fault. You know that, don't you?” He doesn't give me the chance to answer. “All you had to do, was come home.”
Hank sighs loudly. Like I've been a silly girl, and even though he was put out by me running the way I did, he's willing to forgive me as long as I do as he tells me now.
“I'm not angry with you for taking the little monkey to his ape father,” Bile rises in my throat. I hate when he calls my family those names! My stomach turns over, and I'm fighting the tears. I am proud of my son, and his father, and it fucking hurts so much when Hank says this stuff about them. “A mother's instinct, so your mom told me. However, you should have dropped him off and come straight home, Brooke.”
“Like you wouldn't have killed me.” I'm terrified right now. I have always been terrified of my father. However, Leroy was right. People can only hurt us if we allow them to. Whatever Hank may do to me here, I won't be a coward and let him take me out without a fight.
I should be doing everything I can to keep him on side until Hawk finds me, but I can't seem to stop myself. I'm sick and tired of the way he talks about my family!
“I left this place with my son because you beat the hell out of me while telling me how you had someone coming to take him away from me.”
“You're too young to be a mother, Brooke Ann.” I'm twenty-two, my mother had five sons by the time she was my age.
“I don't care how old I am. Gabriel is my son, my baby! The color of his skin, his father's skin, what the hell should that matter? I love my baby more than anything in this world, and nothing you ever say will make me feel shame for that.”
Hank shrugs. “Your mother said you might say something like this.” He sighs. “You need to forget about that kid; it won't do you any good to wallow. You're fortunate that I've managed to find a good man to marry you. You'll be a mother again soon enough,” Sooner than he thinks if my little man survives. However, I can't say anything about that; I know Hank would kick him out of me. Plus, I am gobsmacked by what he just said!
Hank is going to marry me off the same way he did Marnie. The only difference is, I will never go through with it. He can't force me to say I do. No matter what he says here today, as soon as Hawk comes for me, I'm calling the police and reporting my father for kidnap and battery. I can't let him get away with this again. I just can't.
“Roger is Paul's cousin,” I feel sick. I do not want to marry Marnie's husband's cousin. He's probably as bad as Paul and would beat the shit out of me on the regular. “He shares our views,”
“You mean, he shares your views. I am not like you. I am not a racist! I love a man with black heritage, my son has the same heritage, and I am so proud of them. Nothing you say or do will ever make me think differently!”
The anger is evident in the way his nostrils flare and his face flames red. “They are an abomination to God!”
&n
bsp; “God?” He cannot be serious? “God does not judge a person by the color of their skin. God makes no mistakes. Isn't that what you've always taught us?” Hank narrows his eyes, and I can tell he's gritting his teeth behind his lip. “God said to love as you wish to be loved. Never once did God say to hate if the person next to you isn't white. I have no idea of your God, nor where you got the idea it was okay to persecute someone because they're different from you, but I choose to love every person as my equal, regardless of color, race or religion.”